Pros and cons of the Washington Commanders picking Kansas State's Ben Sinnott in NFL Draft
Kansas State football tight end Ben Sinnott is officially on his way to the NFL after being picked by the Washington Commanders with the No. 53 overall pick Friday in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Sinnott was projected on most boards as a third-round pick, but impressed the Commanders.
Here's what Sinnott brings to the Commanders, based on his career with Kansas State.
What Ben Sinnott brings to Washington in the 2024 NFL Draft
Sinnott went from a skinny walk-on out of Waterloo, Iowa, to become one of the Big 12's most feared tight ends over the past two seasons. He was a first team all-conference selection by league coaches at fullback in both 2022 and '23, though he primarily played tight end.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Sinnott played in 38 career games with 28 starts, becoming a full-time starter as a redshirt sophomore in 2022 and started all 12 regular-season games this past season before opting out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl to prepare for the draft as an early entry.
As a hybrid fullback early in his career who last year also was used as both a slot and wide receiver, Sinnott brings both skill and versatility. His draft stock rose in recent months following his performance in the Senior Bowl and at the NFL Combine.
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Ben Sinnott's highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Kansas State football
Sinnott set school single season records for catches, receiving yards and touchdowns by a tight end in 2023, highlighted by 10 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State in his final college game. The 10 catches set a school single-game record for tight ends.
His greatest strengths are considered his athleticism and above-average speed, and he can be a punishing runner after the catch. The greatest concerns are his blocking technique, below average explosiveness and change of direction.
Ben Sinnott's stats at Kansas State football
As a redshirt junior in 2023, Sinnott had 49 catches with team bests of 676 yards and six touchdowns. He also came on strong late in his junior season to finish with 31 catches for 447 yards and four TDs. His career numbers are 82 receptions for 1,138 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Ben Sinnott player comparison in NFL
Sinnott has drawn comparisons to Tyler Croft, a 2015 third-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Rutgers. He has 105 career catches for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns while playing for the Bengals, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins.
Another comparison is second-year Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, a second-round draft pick out of Iowa in the 2023 draft.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Washington Commanders pick Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott in NFL Draft
